Snow-shoe.



M WJRALL. SNOW SHOE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. l3| I915.

- Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

V mxnon w. BALL, or GARDINER,'MO1\'TTANA.

SNOW-SHOE Specification of Letters Patent Application filed March 13,1915. Serial No. 14,186.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, MYRON W. RALL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Gardiner, in the county of Park and State of Montana, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Snow- Shoes, of

which the following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying'drawmgs.

This invention relates to improvements in snow shoes or skees, and hasfor its primary object to provide improved means for pre-' ventingbackward slipping of the shoe in climbing a hill.

The invention has for a more particular object to provide a grippingelement pivotally and removably mounted upon the shoe and held inoperative position by the engagement of the heel of the foot therewith.

The invention has for an additional object to provide a device of theabove characterwhich may be very easily and quickly applied to the shoebody or removed therefrom, is strong and durable in its construction andcapable of manufacture at. comparatively small cost.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in thenovel features of construction, combination, and arrange I ment of partsto be hereinafter more fully described, claimed, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in which,

.Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved snow shoe showing thesame applied to the foot; Fig. 2 is a side elevation, the creeperattachment being shown in its inoperative position in dotted lines; Fig.3 is a section taken on the line 3--3 of-Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a detailperspective view of the creeper device removed.

' Referring in detail to the drawing, 5 des ignates' the body of theshoe, which is preferably constructed of aluminum and is of the usualelongated form. This shoe body has a central thickened portion forming alongitudinally extending ridge 5 upon its upper surface, said uppersurface sloping downwardly from this central ridge to the longi- I 1tudinal edges of the shoe body so that snow viate excessive weight uponthe shoe.

may readily slide therefrom and thus 1 11?-v e shoe body, at its forwardend, tapers to a point, and is slightly curved'upwardly, as indicated at6. In the bottom face of the shoe body, at its central thickenedportion, the longitudinally extending groove or Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

channel 7 is formed, in which snow is adapt 1 ed to pack and preventsidewise or lateral sl1d1ng movement of the shoe. The shoe body includesa wide forwardly extending portion and a relatively narrow rear portion,whereby vertical shoulders 8 are produced in the longitudinal edges ofsaid body intermediate of its ends. Upon the upper surface of the shoe,centrally thereof, the body is formed with a raised con ex portion 9which is adapted to fit the arch of the wearers foot. Upon thelongitudinal edges of the shoe body, at the shoulders 8 thereon, a toestrap 10 is pivotall connected to the body. This strap may e formed intwo sections and connected together by a suitable buckle, if desired. Atransversely disposed bolt 11 extends through the shoe body at itscenter and is rigidly fixed therein. The ends of this bolt projectoutwardly from the recesses 8 and are provided with the elongatedelliptical-shaped heads 12, the ma or axes of which are verticallydisposed.

My improved creeper attachment is constructed from a single metal bar ofiron or steel, indicated generally by the numeral 13. This metal bar isbent 'upon itself into U-shaped form, and at the curve or bend therein,the body of the bar is transversely curved, as at 14, and has its convcxface inwardly disposed. One end of this bar 1s curved and formed with alaterally projecting gripping point 15. Each end of the bar 13 isfurther provided with an elongated opening 16 which is similar inoutline to the shape of the bolt heads 12. The bar 13 is also providedwith openings indicated at 13', to which an ankle embracing strap 17 maybe connected.

In the application of the creeper device to the shoe, the ends thereofare arranged in proper position upon opposite sides of the shoe body sothat the bolt heads 12 will pass through the openings 16. Upon therelease of the creeper, the same will turn .upon the bolt 11 and fall tothe position shown in full lines in Fig. 2, the grip ping point 15projecting downwardly below the bottom face of the shoe body. The

openings 1'6'will then be disposed at an ander the strap 10 while theheel engages the curved intermediate portion" 14 of the creeper bar. Inascending an incline, the heel presses against this curved portion ofthe bar and effectually prevents upward movement of the same, wherebythe gripping point .15 is maintained in position for grippingengagementin the packed snow or ground. A reverse or retrograde sliding movementof the shoe is thus obviated, so

that rapid progress may be made in the ascent. When it is desired toremove the creeper from the shoe body, the same is turned to properposition to permit the ends 15 of the creeper to be forced outwardlyover theheads 12 of the bolt 11. When traveling upon a level surface andit is not desired to use the creeper, the same is simply moved forwardlyto raise the point 15, as

illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing, the construction, manner of use, and severaladvantages of my invention will be clearly and fully understood.

It will be seen that I have produced a very simple, effective andconvenient creeper attachment for snow shoes, which may be easily andquickly applied thereto or re moved.

The device does not add materially to the weight of the shoe which, asabove stated, is preferably constructed of aluminum.

However, it is also apparent that, if desired,

the creeper device may be used upon wooden snow shoes.

While I have shown the preferable form and construction of my invention,it is manifest that the device is susceptible of considerablemodification, and I, therefore, reserve the privilege of resorting toall such legitimate changes as may be fairly embodied within the spiritand scope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I desire to claim andsecure by Letters Patent is ing at one end in a gripping point, aportion of the creeper extending over the top of the shoe body forengagement of the heel therewith whereby the gripping point isheld inits effective position.

4. The combination with a snow shoe, of a creeper attachment consistingof an elongated U-shaped bar pivotally mounted atils ends upon oppositesides of the shoe body and terminating at one end in 'an angularlydisposed gripping point, the intern'icdiate portion of said barextending over the top of the shoe body for engagement of the heeltherewith whereby the gripping point is held in its effective position.v

5. The combination with a snow shoe, of :1 creeper attachment includinga U-shaped bar, a bolt extending transversely through the shoe body andprojecting beyond the opposite sides thereof, said creeper bar and thebolt being provided withmeans for removably holding the ends of the barin connected relation with the bolt, said bar at one of its endsterminating in an angular-1y disposed gripping point, the intermediateportion of the bar extending over the top of the shoe for engagement ofthe heel therewith whereby the gripping point is held in effectiveposition.

6. The combination with a snow shoe, of a creeper attachment including aU shaped metal bar provided in its ends with elongated openings andterminating at one end in an angularly disposed grippingpoint, and abolt extending transversely through the body of the shoe and havingelongated heads formed upon its ends for engagement through the openingsin the creeper bar to retain the ends of the bar in removable connectionwith said bolt, the intermediate portion of the creeper bar extendingover the body of the shoe for engagement of the heel therewith wherebythe gripping point is held in its effective position.

7. The combination with a snow shoe, .of a creeper attachment pivotallyand removably mounted upon the body of the shoe, and an ankle embracingstrap carried by said creeper attachment.

8. The-combination with a snow shoe, of a creeper attachment consistingof a U-shaped bar pivotally mounted at its ends upon opposite sides ofthe shoe body and terminating at one end in a gripping point, and anklestraps connected to the arms of said bar.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

MYRON W. BALL. Witnesses FREDERICK C. BASSETT, LEAH BASSETT.

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